A communication network is typically designed to provide a vast array of functions and services to the users of the network. At the same time, new functions and features are conceived and developed that may enhance the communication network. Some of these new functions may lie outside the architecture of the existing communication network. Adaptation of these new functions to the communication network may require costly redesign and implementation of the communication network. Moreover, the communication network may be designed with a proprietary architecture and data structure that limits an ability to directly integrate these newly developed functions.
Other desirable features and functions may be resident within other networks external to the communication network. Benefits may be derived from providing these features and functions within the communication network, or to at least permit users of the communication network to utilize these features and functions that reside on the external network.
Certain communication network architectures are designed with a view toward feature extraction. Feature extraction refers to the adaptability of the network to new services, features and functions that may be developed by virtually anyone including service providers, system operators, third party vendors and end-users.
To permit adaptation of newly developed functionality to the communication network, and/or to permit utilization of external network functionality by users of the communication network, it is necessary to interface the new functions to the communication network in a stable and secure manner.
Thus, there is a need for a method and apparatus for interfacing a network to an external element in a stable and secure manner.